Conventionally, as disclosed in Japanese Laid Open Gazette No. 2000-245224, there is a well-known lifting device for vertically movably attaching a mid-mount mower to a tractor at a bottom portion of a step between front wheels and rear wheels.
With respect to a power transmission system to the mid-mount mower, engine power is transmitted through a belt from an engine pulley or through universal joints to a pulley provided coaxially to a blade shaft or to a counter shaft behind the blade shaft, thereby driving a blade of the mid-mount mower.
Further, the linkage for vertically movably lifting the mid-mount mower comprises: a front link rotatably connecting a front portion of the mower to a front portion of the tractor; a lift link rotatably connected at a front portion thereof to a support member provided at a fore-and-aft intermediate portion of the tractor; a lift cylinder extended rearward from the mower at a rear portion of the tractor body; and an intermediate link pivotally connecting the lift cylinder to the lift link.
However, the conventional mid-mount mower lifting device has a drive shaft which is disposed not at the lateral center portion of the tractor body but under an engine crankshaft and an input shaft of a hydrostatic stepless transmission (HST), wherein the engine crankshaft and the HST input shaft are integrally and coaxially disposed in a clutch housing. There is a small space around the drive shaft such as to restrict design freedom.
Further, a bracket for attaching a device for restricting height of the mid-mount mower into the clutch housing is fastened to the body frame with bolts or the like so as to increase the number of parts and costs.
Also, the bracket occupies a large space such as to restrict design freedom.